Nunes Steers Hoos to 12-9 Win Over UAlbany

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia goalie Matthew Nunes (2-1) made 14 saves to lead the Cavaliers (4-4) in their 12-9 win over UAlbany (2-6) at Klöckner Stadium Tuesday evening (March 18). 

Nunes’ 14 saves elevated him to No. 3 on UVA’s career leaders list, surpassing Adam Ghitelman in the process. Nunes now has 591 career saves. 

Seven Cavaliers found the back of the net, including Truitt Sunderland and McCabe Millon, who led the Hoos with three goals apiece. Millon chipped in an assist. UVA got a nice lift from its second-line midfield, consisting of Charles Balsamo, Thomas Mencke and Jack Walshe, all of whom scored one goal each. 

For the second consecutive game, Virginia was perfect on every single one of its clear attempts (23-23), while forcing six UAlbany fails (23-29) on the other end. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia scored the first three goals of the game less than five minutes in, including an unassisted effort from Balsamo, who claimed his first goal as a Cavalier. UAlbany closed out the period by scoring the final two goals as UVA clung to a 3-2 lead at the end of the first.

Once again, the Hoos notched the first three goals of the quarter to open the second. Each of UVA’s first three scores came from its starting attack, Ryan Colsey (2g, 1a), Sunderland (3g, 1a) and Millon (3g, 2a). After two Great Dane goals, Sunderland netted his seventh career hat trick, which was followed by a goal from Mencke, as the Cavaliers led 8-4 at the half. UAlbany netminder Landon Whitney posted nine of his 17 total saves at the break.

The Great Danes started the second half two-men up after UVA was whistled for simultaneous personal fouls with seven seconds left in the first half. On the ensuing UA man-up chance, Cavalier defenseman Luke Hublitz (2ct, 1gb) batted down a pass out of midair to help kill off the two-man advantage. However, the Great Danes outscored UVA 4-2 in quarter No. 3, including the final three goals of the period. UA outshot the Cavaliers 12-5 and collected 12 ground balls in contrast to UVA’s seven. Nunes tallied five of his 14 saves in the third to help sustain UVA’s lead heading into the fourth at which point it led, 10-8.

Virginia’s defense held UA to only one goal in the fourth and its man-down unit killed two more Great Dane EMOs. Walshe scored his seventh goal of the season, which was assisted by Mencke, and Millon scored an empty-net goal with five seconds remaining. 

WITH THE WIN… 

• Virginia (4-4) pulled back to .500 on the season and improved to 3-2 at home. 
• The Cavaliers improved to 3-0 in the all-time series with UAlbany, which began in 2005. All three meetings have been contested at Klöckner Stadium. 
• Lars Tiffany, who is in his ninth season at Virginia, improved 96-40 as UVA head coach. 
• Tiffany is also now 3-3 all-time against UAlbany head coach Scott Marr. Tiffany and Marr have previously coached for the Haudenosaunee national team. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

• With 14 saves, Matthew Nunes (591) surpassed Adam Ghitelman (586) on UVA’s career saves list. Nunes is now third all-time behind Alex Rode (598) and Tillman Johnson (700). 
• Nunes’ 14 saves are second most by a UVA goalie in a single game so far this season. 
• UVA’s man-down unit held UAlbany scoreless on all four of its EMO chances. 
• The Cavalier man-down unit has now killed 30 of its opponents’ 34 EMO chances this year. 
• With one goal, Griffin Schutz tallied the 80th of his career. Schutz is also now in sole possession of No. 5 on UVA’s career points by a midfielder list, with 80 goals and 37 assists. 
• Schutz’s goal came on the first possession of the game 40 seconds in and gave the Hoos the lead for good. 
• Charles Balsamo, who transferred from Duke this past year, recorded his first career goal as a Cavalier. 

UP NEXT
The Cavaliers host Utah (1-6) in their penultimate non-conference regular-season game on Saturday (March 22).  TICKETS 

Opening faceoff from Klöckner Stadium is slated for noon on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX). Saturday’s upcoming game is dedicated to the One Love Foundation. 

In their season opener, the Utes knocked off then-No. 19 Ohio State, but have dropped six in a row, including their last two by a combined margin of three goals.